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Forestry

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 03.0501 - 03.0599.

Types of Degrees Forestry Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Forestry can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	62
Associate’s Degree	357
Bachelor’s Degree	1,143
Master’s Degree	786
Doctor’s Degree	108

What Forestry Majors Need to Know

Programs in Forestry emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Forestry graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Forestry emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.3 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills developed in a Forestry program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Forestry careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Forestry graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.3 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.3 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.2 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.1 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.1 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.0 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.0 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Forestry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Geographic information system GIS software	Geographic information system	—
Leica Geosystems ERDAS IMAGINE	Map creation software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Forestry graduates include:

• Range Instructor
• Assistant Teaching Professor
• Forest Management Professor
• Forest Resources Professor
• Extension Professor
• Natural Resources Faculty Member
• Forest Management Teacher
• Conservation Biology Professor
• University Faculty Member
• Instructor
• Range and Road Instructor
• Natural Resources Professor
• Forestry Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Forest Products Teacher

What Can You Do With a Forestry Degree?

Graduates with a degree in Forestry commonly enter the following occupations:

Occupation	Job Growth	Median Salary	25th–75th Pctile
Forest and Conservation Workers	11.1%	$22,542	$22,000–$26,631
First-Line Supervisors of Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Workers	-0.6%	$36,803	$31,817–$41,789

^{Job-growth = projected employment change for the parent occupation. Source: ONET / BLS Employment Projections.*}

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Forestry graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Doctoral degree	32.1%
Bachelor’s degree	25.7%
Master’s degree	13.1%
Post-doctoral training	11.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	9.2%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.4%
Some college courses	1.7%
Postsecondary certificate	1.1%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	0.8%
Less than a high school diploma	0.7%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Forestry?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 65.9% of Forestry degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	838	34.1%
Men	1,622	65.9%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Forestry graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1,790	72.8%
Asian	36	1.5%
Hispanic or Latino	322	13.1%
Black or African American	47	1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native	27	1.1%
Two or More Races	83	3.4%
Race Unknown	59	2.4%
International Students	96	3.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Forestry Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Forestry graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$44,042
4 years	$52,066
5 years	$60,484

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $60,484 — roughly 37% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Forestry Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Forestry. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	3
Bachelor’s	1	1
Master’s	3	2

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Forestry Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Forestry graduates earn a median of $52,066 four years after completion — roughly 37% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Natural Resources Conservation	32,361
Natural Resources Conservation and Research	23,853
Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy	3,090
Wildlife and Wildlands Science and Management	2,419
Fishing and Fisheries Sciences and Management	407
Natural Resources and Conservation, Other	132
NATURAL RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION	—

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.